King Charles strips shamed domestic abuser Stuart Hogg of MBE | Rugby | Sport

Stuart Hogg has officially been stripped of his MBE after King Charles III ordered it to be “cancelled and annulled”. The former Scotland rugby union captain pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse against his ex-wife, Gillian Smith, spanning five years in November 2024.

The court heard Hogg admit to shouting and swearing at his former wife as well as tracking her movements and sending distressing and alarming messages. He managed to avoid jail but was given a community payback order (CPO) with one year of supervision and a five-year ban on approaching or contacting Gillian.

After his conviction, there were widespread calls for the former British and Irish Lion to lose the MBE he received in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to rugby. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described these demands as “reasonable and understandable”.

At the time, SNP‘s Commons leader Stephen Flynn confirmed that officials were “firmly on the case” to revoke the honour; however, more than a year after his conviction, Hogg still held the award, which Glasgow Women’s Aid described as “deeply troubling”.

Hogg has now officially lost his MBE. A formal announcement was made in The Gazette on Thursday, listing his name among those who have also had their honours revoked.

The notice reads: “The King has directed that the appointment of Stuart William Hogg to be a Member of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, dated 30 December 2023, shall be cancelled and annulled and that his name shall be erased from the Register of the said Order.”

It comes after Hogg acknowledged he has no prospects in Scottish rugby because of his conduct away from the pitch in recent years. Hogg, though, reckons he could still contribute to the present Scotland squad.

He told French publication Actu Rugby in a translated interview: “I’ve retired completely from international rugby. I’ve always said that if I felt I could be of use to Scotland, then I would be, but I haven’t had any communication from anyone within Scottish rugby, and I doubt that will ever change.

“With everything that’s happened to me off the field over the last two years, there’s no chance that Scottish rugby wants anything to do with me.

“Do I believe I could still be useful to this Scotland team? Yes, 100%.”